Bat Ye’Or is a historian who focuses on the relationship between Islam and the West. Her brilliant analyses were published a generation before the likes of Robert Spencer and Pamela Gellner. She is nearly 90 and no longer makes public appearances. So the interview with her by Israel National News a few days ago is exceptional.
Bat Ye’Or’s interview mainly summarizes what has happened so far and probably does not bring anything fundamentally new to the reader. But a relatively significant part of it revolves around why Europeans and Americans have such a servile relationship with Arab Islamist regimes, and why they are so hostile to Russia. Both the Arabs and the Russians have resources that the West can salivate over. Both can be easy targets for aggression. Yet no one is trying to conquer Saudi Arabia or Qatar, whereas they are trying to conquer Russia.
Yet no one is trying to conquer Saudi Arabia or Qatar, whereas they are trying to conquer Russia.
Bat Ye’or doesn’t actually come to any clear conclusion, so we can add two factors. First. As Professor Mearsheimer often points out, the Russians have been too nice for too long, giving the impression that absolutely anything can be afforded against them. But try criticizing, say, Qatar or Turkey, and you don’t know how many more days of life you have ahead of you.
Secondly. Middle Eastern Muslim countries have spent huge resources on corrupting Western politicians and intellectuals. At every major university, a center paid for by Saudi or Qatari money. You won’t find a politician in America who doesn’t take donations from them. And their money is intertwined with various foundations.
The Russians have never seriously tried to corrupt Western intellectuals and politicians.
The Russians have never seriously tried to corrupt Western intellectuals and politicians. Occasionally someone has been suspected, but it has never been confirmed. It certainly wasn’t some giant Pushkin Center handing out money to Western journalists, students or politicians. No Dostoevsky Foundation, no Peter the Great Institutes. They probably felt that their own culture was strong enough that Westerners would find their own way.
I’m afraid that Russians are in many ways mentally living in the 19th century. They assume that they are still dealing with statesmen, not frightened members of an irrational elitist mob. And behind that is a complete misunderstanding of how those elites actually work.
